Chapter 1
1. Why is it important to know about the history of the Finch and Radley families?
Chapters 2-3:
2. What does Miss Caroline tell the narrator that she can no longer do with Atticus?
3. What compromise does Atticus make with the narrator after hearing about this?
4. The Cunninghams are considered “poor but proud.” What is meant by this?
5. Why does Miss Caroline tell Burris Ewell to go home? Why did he say he was he already going to go?
6. Miss Caroline, like the reader, is new to Maycomb. What lesson does she quickly learn from her students?
7. How is Calpurnia a good influence on Scout?
Chapters 4-5:
8. What items do the children find in the knothole of the oak tree? Why does Jem think some are dangerous?
9. Scout gives us brief descriptions of two women who live on their street: Mrs. Dubose and Miss Maudie Atkinson. What does she say about each of them?
10. Describe the new game the kids start to play.
11. Name two reasons why Scout wants to stop playing this new game.
12. How does Miss Maudie feel about Arthur “Boo” Radley?
13. What new tales, theories, and stories have been added to the malevolent phantom known as Boo Radley? (The kids keep adding to the story and mystery that surrounds him. Explain all that they tell us.)
Chapter 6:
14. How does Jem lose his trousers?
15. Why doesn’t Scout want Jem to go back to retrieve his pants?
Chapter 7-8
16. When Jem sneaks out of the house to retrieve his pants, what does he find that puzzles him?
17. Why does Nathan Radley tell the children he sealed the knothole shut with cement? Do you believe him? Why or why not? Support your response with a specific detail from the novel.
18. What happens in chapter eight that rarely happens in Alabama?
19. In chapter eight, why does Atticus drag the children out of bed in the middle of the night? Describe how all of the townspeople react that evening.
20. What does Scout have on her when she returns home and what realization comes from it?
21. The next morning, Scout have trouble understanding the reactions to Miss Maudie's house, especially Maudie herself? How does Maudie react?
Chapter 9:
22. Why does Scout beat up Cecil Jacobs?
23. Who is Atticus’ latest client? Why has Atticus decided to defend this man?
24. When Cecil taunts Scout on the playground again, why does she walk away?
25. Francis upsets Scout when he says that no one wants Dill. Why is this a hypocritical
statement from Francis?
26. What does Scout do to cause Uncle Jack to reprimand her on Christmas at her Aunt
Alexandra’s house?
27. What does Uncle Jack learn from Scout and about children in general?
1. Why is it important to know about the history of the Finch and Radley families?
Chapters 2-3:
2. What does Miss Caroline tell the narrator that she can no longer do with Atticus?
3. What compromise does Atticus make with the narrator after hearing about this?
4. The Cunninghams are considered “poor but proud.” What is meant by this?
5. Why does Miss Caroline tell Burris Ewell to go home? Why did he say he was he already going to go?
6. Miss Caroline, like the reader, is new to Maycomb. What lesson does she quickly learn from her students?
7. How is Calpurnia a good influence on Scout?
Chapters 4-5:
8. What items do the children find in the knothole of the oak tree? Why does Jem think some are dangerous?
9. Scout gives us brief descriptions of two women who live on their street: Mrs. Dubose and Miss Maudie Atkinson. What does she say about each of them?
10. Describe the new game the kids start to play.
11. Name two reasons why Scout wants to stop playing this new game.
12. How does Miss Maudie feel about Arthur “Boo” Radley?
13. What new tales, theories, and stories have been added to the malevolent phantom known as Boo Radley? (The kids keep adding to the story and mystery that surrounds him. Explain all that they tell us.)
Chapter 6:
14. How does Jem lose his trousers?
15. Why doesn’t Scout want Jem to go back to retrieve his pants?
Chapter 7-8
16. When Jem sneaks out of the house to retrieve his pants, what does he find that puzzles him?
17. Why does Nathan Radley tell the children he sealed the knothole shut with cement? Do you believe him? Why or why not? Support your response with a specific detail from the novel.
18. What happens in chapter eight that rarely happens in Alabama?
19. In chapter eight, why does Atticus drag the children out of bed in the middle of the night? Describe how all of the townspeople react that evening.
20. What does Scout have on her when she returns home and what realization comes from it?
21. The next morning, Scout have trouble understanding the reactions to Miss Maudie's house, especially Maudie herself? How does Maudie react?
Chapter 9:
22. Why does Scout beat up Cecil Jacobs?
23. Who is Atticus’ latest client? Why has Atticus decided to defend this man?
24. When Cecil taunts Scout on the playground again, why does she walk away?
25. Francis upsets Scout when he says that no one wants Dill. Why is this a hypocritical
statement from Francis?
26. What does Scout do to cause Uncle Jack to reprimand her on Christmas at her Aunt
Alexandra’s house?
27. What does Uncle Jack learn from Scout and about children in general?